A bitter Lightning fan’s guide to the second round

Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty ImagesThe Tampa Bay Lightning are out of the playoffs. For some of you, that might mean the end of watching hockey until October and I wouldn’t blame you for it. But I’m still watching this ridiculous sport because it’s a way of passing the time at night before the morning inevitably arrives again sending me out to do what must be done so I can pay the bills and then spend another evening sitting on the couch watching a thing that hates me and does everything it can to ruin my life.

Begrudgingly and with bitterness in my heart, I watched the rest of the first round. I watched game sevens. I watched overtimes. I reveled in the failure of rivals and jeered…